Japanese war survivors on Wednesday welcomed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Pearl Harbor to offer condolences for those who died in the 1941 surprise attack there, but some questioned the lack of an apology or mention of the state's responsibility for pursuing war.

Kikuyo Iida, 87, sister-in-law of Lt. Fusata Iida, a Japanese naval pilot who died in the Pearl Harbor attack, said Abe's visit renewed her belief that Japan should never again wage war.

"Since so many lives were lost, we need to maintain peace," Iida said as she prayed Wednesday at her home in Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture. In the background, live footage of Abe's visit was being shown on TV.